 2020 is almost dead... ...This has been a year that most if not all of us cannot wait to put behind us, but when it comes to horror films, 2020 has been a surprisingly fantastic year. And this is despite so many that we were looking forward to being pushed to 2021. With so much great horror coming out in 2020, much of it direct to video/streaming, it's easy for some greats to slip through the cracks. So with that in mind, here is a list, in no particular order, of 20 great horror films from 2020 that you might have missed which didn't quite make my top 10 list, but came close! Take a look below, and hope you discover some new terror to sink your fangs into!  Blood Quantum Written/directed by: Jeff Barnaby Synopsis: The dead are coming back to life outside the isolated Mi'kmaq reserve of Red Crow, except for its Indigenous inhabitants who are strangely immune to the zombie plague. Why you should see it: This blood-soaked zombie film doesn't just have loads of high-octane zombie terror, chainsaw mayhem, and a sequence involving fighting zombies with a sword...it's also an incredibly poignant, original story that contemplates our place on Earth and tells a familiar post-apocalyptic tale from a necessary viewpoint which we don't see often enough. Streaming on: Shudder  The Pale Door Directed by: Aaron B. Koontz Written by: Aaron B. Koontz, Cameron Burns and Keith Lansdale Synopsis: After a train robbery goes bad, two brothers leading a gang of cowboys must survive the night in a ghost town inhabited by a coven of witches. Why you should see it: One thing I'm constantly advocating for more of are positive male relationships in horror, ones that show that it's okay for men to be sympathetic with each other instead of hiding behind a macho shield of bullshit, and this is something The Pale Door does extraordinarily well. Packed into this From Dusk Till Dawn meets witches story is an emotional tale of brotherhood that hits harder than you first expect. Not to mention, the stunts/gore during a scene at a brothel are simply jaw-dropping. Streaming on: Shudder  We Summon the Darkness Directed by: Marc Meyers Written by: Alan Trezza Synopsis: Three best friends embark on a road trip to a heavy-metal show, where they bond with three aspiring musicians and head off to one of the girls' country home for an after-party. Why you should see it: I will never not promote a film that features a trio of kickass women with a take no prisoners attitude, and that's exactly what this clever twist on the satanic panic era delivers. The whole cast is great, but Maddie Hasson, Amy Forsyth and especially Alexandra Daddario make it impossible to look away from the screen. We Summon the Darkness surprises at every turn and has a devilish time doing it. Streaming on: Netflix  Uncle Peckerhead Written/directed by: Matthew John Lawrence Synopsis: When a punk band scores their first tour, life on the road proves tough when they are joined by a man-eating demon as a roadie. Why you should see it: I don't think you'll find anyone who would deny that 2020 has been a shit year, and in a shit year, it's vital that we get purely entertaining horror films to make the shittiness less, well, shitty. That's where Uncle Peckerhead comes in. This punk-rock monster movie is a total blast, with characters you want to be best friends with, and a monster I wouldn't mind tagging along and eating any jerks I encounter. This film bounces around between gut-busting laughs and actual gut-busting gore, making it impossible to not at least have a good road trip with this complete break from reality. Streaming on: Prime  Porno Directed by: Keola Racela Written by: Matt Black and Laurence Vannicelli Synopsis: When five teen employees at the local movie theater in a small Christian town discover a mysterious old film hidden in its basement, they unleash an alluring succubus who gives them a sex education...written in blood. Why you should see it: Two words: Dick explosion. 2020 has seen a surprising amount of what I'm calling "penis trauma" in horror this year, and Porno is tied with one other film for what will surely be the most uncomfortable, leg-crossing moment of them all this year. On top of that, Porno also just happens to be a great time, acting as a stylish throwback to 70s horror with an interesting premise that will have you asking why we don't have more succubi in our horror films. Streaming on: Shudder  Yummy Directed by: Lars Damoiseaux Written by: Lars Damoiseaux and Eveline Hagenbeek Synopsis: An orgy of blood, violence and fun in which a young couple travel to a shabby Eastern European hospital for plastic surgery. Once there things unravel. Why you should see it: Three words: More penis trauma. Yummy is that film I mentioned that's tied with Porno for the penis trauma scene most likely to make you squeal this year, and it's also, in this writer's opinion, one of the funniest damn horror moments of the year as well. Yummy is a non-stop ride where passengers are assaulted by screams, laughs and gallons and gallons of blood. Streaming on: Shudder  The Beach House Written/directed by: Jeffrey A. Brown Synopsis: A romantic getaway for two troubled college sweethearts turns into a struggle for survival when unexpected guests - and the surrounding environment - exhibit signs of a mysterious infection. Why you should see it: Of all the films to come out this year to eerily reflect the pandemic, The Beach House may be the most chilling of them all. A film which explores how apocalyptic events often start small, as small as particles in the air, say, The Beach House is a cringe-worthy body horror flick that is relentless in its horror. It takes a while to build to its dark, stunning climax, but this film is ultimately a quiet, unnerving film that I'm still thinking about months later. Streaming on: Shudder  May the Devil Take You Too Written/directed by: Timo Tjahjanto Synopsis: Two years after escaping from demonic terror, the young woman is still haunted by unnatural vision. The dangers that await her and her friends are increasingly threatening: the figure of darkness rises to take their lives. Why you should see it: Did you like May the Devil Take You? Yeah? Then you're going to love May the Devil Take You Too. I have a feeling this film isn't being talked about as much because it lives under the shadow of its predecessor, but if you enjoyed Tjahjanto's first film, there's no reason to think you won't be satisfied with this sequel, which is just as frightening, gory, and wild in all of it's Evil Dead-style as the original. Streaming on: Shudder  It Cuts Deep Written/directed by: Nicholas Santos Synopsis: While on Christmas vacation, a young couple contemplates their future together. Ashley is interested in getting married and having kids which terrifies Sam. When the more attractive and paternal Nolan enters the picture, Sam's life spirals out of control as Ashley questions their relationship. Chaos reigns as Sam desperately clings to Ashley while fending off the threatening Nolan. Why you should see it: It isn't easy to balance tense psychological horror with giddy laughter, but somehow, writer/director Nicholas Santos managed to do just that with It Cuts Deep. This debut feature from Santos disturbs as much as it makes you smile...that is, until the rug is pulled out from the audience and things become so horrific that there's nothing to smile about anymore. Anyone who has ever experienced jealousy in some way will be able to relate to this tense study of relationships that hammers home the importance of communication.  1BR Written/directed by: David Marmor Synopsis: Sarah tries to start anew in LA, but her neighbours are not what they seem. Why you should see it: 1BR hits home on something all or most of us have experienced: the dread of moving out on your own. That dread is especially true for transplants who find themselves in a new city, with new people and no friendly faces around. 1BR cleverly touches on ideas of community, acceptance, and how we're sometimes willing to go along with something terrible in order to have those things. Guaranteed this film will run through your mind the next time you're apartment hunting and aren't too sure about that neighbor smiling at you from across the way. Streaming on: Netflix  After Midnight Directed by: Jeremy Gardner and Christian Stella Written by: Jeremy Gardner Synopsis: When his girlfriend suddenly disappears, leaving a cryptic note as her only explanation, Hank's comfortable life and his sanity begin to crack. Then, from the woods surrounding his house, something terrible starts trying to break in. Why you should see it: Actress Brea Grant is a talent who has been on fire this year, what with her films Lucky, The Stylist and directorial debut 12 Hour Shift playing festivals, all exceptional films, and the one to kickoff this phenomenal year for Grant was After Midnight, a touching creature feature that is unlike any monster movie I've seen in a long time. Horror fans should note that that's because this film is hardly about the monster at all, but the tragedy and longing caused because of it. Seek this one out for something that is truly different from the rest of the pack.  Sea Fever Written/directed by: Neasa Hardiman Synopsis: The crew of a West of Ireland trawler, marooned at sea, struggle for their lives against a growing parasite in their water supply. Why you should see it: Another film that will feel eerily familiar to viewers this year, Sea Fever is a beautifully shot film that takes pandemic horror to the sea (a personal favorite setting), and ups the ante by following a The Thing like struggle in which our characters must decide if they risk bringing the disease back to shore, or risk dying by doing nothing. And we've all learned humans just can't agree on anything. A warning to the squeamish, as Sea Fever's particular infection is a stomach-churning one, so maybe don't eat beforehand. Streaming on: Hulu  M.O.M. aka Mothers of Monsters Written/directed by: Tucia Lyman Synopsis: A distraught mother suspects her teenage son is plotting a school shooting, but when he slips through the cracks of the system, she is forced to take matters into her own hands. After installing an elaborate spy camera system in their home, Abbey captures a series of disturbing videos that confirm her worst fears. Torn between a mother's unconditional love and a mother's acute intuition, Abbey caters her videos to all the other "mothers of monsters" online. Abbey's plan backfires when Jacob uses a dark family secret against her, launching both mother and son on a terrifying, and ultimately deadly, game of cat and mouse. Why you should see it: On the surface, there isn't all that much to M.O.M. A found-footage flick in which a mother is spying on her son, it's a fairly straight-forward premise. But don't let that fool you, because M.O.M. is an example of near-perfectly executed low-budget terror, riddled with tension. There's a fascinating theme questioning whether monsters are born or if we create them, and while M.O.M. may not be all that flashy, it burrows deep into your psyche and doesn't let go until the bitter end. Streaming on: Prime, Tubi and Pluto TV  Monstrum Directed by: Jong-ho Huh Written by: Jong-ho Huh and Heo-dam Synopsis: Yoon Gyeom is a loyal subject of King Jung Jong of Joseon. He struggles to fight against a monster that threatens King Jung Jong's life and a group of people trying to depose King Jung Jong. Why you should see it: In the vein of monster adventure stories like Brotherhood of the Wolf or maybe even 1999's The Mummy, Monstrum is a rare horror epic that tells a sweeping story full of action, heart, love, betrayal, and all the giant monster you can handle. Perfect for lovers of fantasy and old-fashioned epics. Streaming on: Shudder  Attack of the Demons Directed by: Eric Power Written by: Andreas Petersen Synopsis: The year is 1994 - For centuries, a demonic cult has been plotting the destruction of mankind. When a small Colorado town is overrun by a legion of mutating demons, three non-demon hunter friends must use every skill their minds can fathom to stave off the demon apocalypse. Why you should see it: Few films have touched my soul as deeply as Attack of the Demons this year. If you consider yourself a fan of horror, gaming, music, or anything in-between, this nostalgic animated horror will tug right at your heart strings. Because the film is so nostalgia driven, it may not appeal as much to some, but Attack of the Demons is a pure love letter to 80s fandom, wrapped around a Lucio Fulci meets the Evil Dead style that make this one of the more unique animations you'll see. It has me hoping we'll see more like it in the future.  Amulet Written/directed by: Romola Garai Synopsis: An ex-soldier, living homeless in London, is offered a place to stay at a decaying house inhabited by a young woman and her dying mother. As he starts to fall for her, he cannot ignore his suspicion that something sinister is going on. Why you should see it: Amulet is another one that belongs in the unique creature feature pile. This slow-building stunner takes its time to get going, but once it does, it fires on all cylinders, introducing a wild and strange trip that leads to one of the more unforgettable finales of the year based on mind-melding imagery alone. Streaming on: Hulu  The Siren Written/directed by: Perry Blackshear Synopsis: A man searches the lake for the monster that murdered his husband, while that monster falls in love with an unsuspecting visitor. Why you should see it: Few filmmakers are making horror films like Perry Blackshear. Like with his other films, The Siren is a monster movie that isn't about the monster, but about love itself. Blackshear presents his monsters as flawed but not wholly "evil" characters, and in The Siren, he poses the question of whether it's possible for monsters to be loved as well. It's all probably too sappy for horror fans looking for some true horror (which there is a bit of), but those seeking a romantic tale that leans horror, similar to Spring, will fall in love with this pondering flick. Streaming on: Shudder  To Your Last Death Directed by: Jason Axinn Written by: Jim Cirile and Tanya C. Klein Synopsis: In order to save her siblings, a young woman takes on her father and the powerful entity known as Gamemaster, who ensnares humans into diabolical plots while her species gambles on the outcome. Why you should see it: Another fantastic animated horror this year--further proof we need more of them--To Your Last Death is almost the opposite of Attack of the Demons, a purely adrenaline based Saw meets Happy Death Day, action-packed flick that starts at an 11 and never slows down. Coupled with a rich group of voice talent and a never-ending abundance of gore and violence, To Your Last Death satisfies that rush for horror fans wanting something rough and tough to dig their teeth into. Streaming on: Prime and Tubi  Get Duked Written/directed by: Ninian Doff Synopsis: An anarchic, hip-hop inspired comedy that follows four city boys on a wilderness trek as they try to escape a mysterious huntsman. Why you should see it: I feel like one of the more overlooked films this year is Get Duked, and it really shouldn't be. Get Duked is a wild horror comedy that relishes in its over the top style, with loud characters that have too much attitude to be contained. Unrestricted by logic and often playing like plains horror meets an acid trip, Get Duked is an unabashedly fun time that never wants you to take it seriously, yet with themes about the rich vs the poor that resonate more strongly than ever. Streaming on: Prime  Sputnik Directed by: Egor Abramenko Written by: Oleg Malovichko and Andrey Zolotarev Synopsis: The lone survivor of an enigmatic spaceship incident hasn't returned back home alone-hiding inside his body is a dangerous creature. Why you should see it: Want to meet the most adorable yet fiercest creature in horror from 2020? Meet the alien in Russian flick Sputnik. Taking a cue from Alien and asking but what if Weyland Yutani did finally get the damn thing back to Earth, Sputnik is tense sci-fi horror with a bit of Spielberg wonderment thrown in. Think of this as the gruesome, gory version of E.T., and you'll start to get a sense of what you're in for with Sputnik. Streaming on: Hulu By Matt Konopka
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